As an MD, I’ve watched too many of my colleagues yank out anti-depressant samples every time a patient starts to cry. So on behalf of physicians everywhere, let me apologize for our trigger-happy prescription-writing behavior. I don’t mean to diminish the pain someone who is depressed might experience. But tears are healthy. Sadness doesn’t always need treatment. And it’s important to remember that the pain muscle and the joy muscle are the same. If you can’t feel one, you won’t feel the other.

That said, clinical depression sucks, and if you’re someone who suffers from it, my heart goes out to you. I’m in no way intending to diss anti-depressants or suggest you ignore your doctor’s advice. I know anti-depressants can be life-saving for people. But unless you’re suicidal or otherwise in dire need of urgent medication, before you dose up on side-effect laden pharmaceuticals, it’s worth considering some natural treatments that might help lift your mood.

Dr. Lissa Rankin's medical blog is based on her upcoming book What's Up Down There? Questions You'd Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend, which you can preorder here. If you have a question you'd like Dr. Lissa Rankin to answer in her blog, please join the What's Up Down There posse in our Owning Pink community, or contact us.

I’m 37 years old, and over the past seven months, my periods have stopped. I’m also suffering from mood swings. I’m healthy otherwise and of average weight. My doctor recently ruled out polycystic ovaries, and she said I could just go on the Pill to “regulate” my cycle and my moods. But I’d really like to just get to the root of the problem, especially because I may still want to have a baby. Can you help?

I learned about oxytocin early in my midwifery training. It’s probably the single most important hormone for birth and breastfeeding – it acts as a chemical messenger to cause labor contractions and the milk-ejection reflex. In fact, you might say that it’s the most powerful hormone any of us encounter. And recent studies have investigated oxytocin’s role in various emotions that promote well-being, including love, trust, and social connection.

With the advent of extended cycle contraception (continuous birth control pills such as Seasonale), lots of women are talking about whether or not to have periods. 72% of women surveyed say they don’t like having periods, and 40% would prefer to never have one.  But 50% said they would never consider suppressing menstruation with hormones.  In fact, I was just interviewed by Body & Soul magazine regarding this very issue, and it’s such a juicy topic, I wanted to share with you some thoughts, in case you’re one of those women trying to figure out whether to bleed or not to bleed.